Finding a Dog to Rescue

By Beth Lazar

For many people, finding a dog to rescue is the only thing that stands in the way of their bringing their new family member home. These people have committed to rescuing a dog but may be having difficulty locating a dog that fits their needs and lifestyle.

For those looking to rescue and who are not interested in obtaining their new pet from a breeder or a pet store, the options for finding adoptable dogs are threefold: rescue organizations; pet shelters; and the internet.

Rescue Organizations

Rescue organizations are typically run by volunteers who are working towards saving pets from the various threats they face from an unhealthy home situations, from being homeless, or from euthanization at another shelter. These rescue organizations aim to cut down on the near 70% of animals that are destroyed yearly due to homelessness and overpopulation. In some cases, the volunteers provide medical or behavioral assistance to their animals prior to finding suitable homes for adoption. Many of these organization provide volunteers and counselors to offer both compatibility assessment and adoption counselling to help facilitate the entire process.

Because they prefer to be able to save as many animals as possible, many rescue organizations will allow returns of their animals if, for any reason, the adoptive family feel it is not the right dog for them. Communicating your expectations clearly to the volunteers at the organization may help facilitate the search for the perfect dog. Many rescue organizations are home to about 21 to 30% purebreds each year, making them an attractive option for finding the perfect dog.

Animal Shelters

Animal shelters are similar to rescue organizations in that they also are looking to reduce the population of homeless and mistreated animals. They will typically house the animals in a single location and provide food and veterinary care. There are a vast number of animal shelters in existence, so it is important to research the shelter you are approaching and determine if it has a good reputation. Reputable shelters provide their animals with a clean, sanitary environment, and captivity conditions that will not constrict reasonable movement. Many animal shelters also provide sterilization services to help eradicate the homeless pet population.

The Internet

With the advent of the growing consumer awareness through online information channels, the internet has made it easier to disseminate information and provide access to the same. There are many online resources dedicated to identifying dogs available for adoption.

Utilizing the internet in searching for the perfect dog may prove to be effective especially for those who have very little time to visit shelters themselves. The following websites aggregate adoptable dogs from many sources.